Chapter 21: Moving Toward the Future

During break time, on the way back from the restroom.

The classroom was buzzing with one main topic.

“I heard the computer system’s going to collapse because it can’t read the year 2000 properly, something like that. Do you believe it?”

“No? Why would I believe that?”

“Right?”

The conversation between Godaesik and the kids caught my ear. I glanced at the two of them. I noticed Godaesik nodding seriously as he spoke.

“He’s been talking about the Y2K issue from my novel all day long.”

A laugh slipped out. Seeing them seriously discussing a story I wrote made me wonder how other readers might feel watching this.

“Well, apocalyptic theories and prophecies do make for interesting topics.”

At the time, I believed nothing like that would really happen, but I’d had moments of wondering if the year 2000 would actually fail to come.

The issue was big enough to be covered by the news and had become a major topic among people.

“There were even conspiracy theories later on. Political ones.”

Some political forces used the Y2K problem as an excuse to push for national emergency preparedness and tighter control, securing huge budgets under that pretext.

It was said to be a manufactured fear serving political and economic interests.

Personally, I leaned towards this explanation.

“Anyway, thanks to Daesik, it’s nice to hear readers’ thoughts in real time.”

Godaesik brings up my novel almost every day. He talks about what developments he liked or which settings seemed questionable. At first, I felt awkward, but now I actually want him to talk more. It’s great to see up close what kind of flow readers expect and what draws them in.

“My dad says if you don’t turn off your computer, it might break as soon as the new year hits. So he unplugs his computer at the end of the year.”

“Really? That’s more surprising than when my dad said he was quitting drinking.”

A small laugh escaped me at Daesik’s offhand remark.

What an interesting friend.

To come up with that kind of joke in the middle of all this is no ordinary wit.

I waited through class, listening to the friends’ chatter.

“Hey, are you really not planning to go to an academy?”

At that moment, when I was staring out the window, Yua spoke.

“Academy?”

“Yeah, but you should at least go to college, right?”

“Hmm......”

I had said before that I didn’t plan to go to college, so why ask again?

I believed college was for those with purpose and didn’t feel I needed it.

There wasn’t much to learn there for me, and I wasn’t interested. Going with my current mindset would only waste time and money.

Instead of spending time at school, it was more beneficial to finish military service and write as much as possible.

‘Still, I shouldn’t completely give up on basic studies.’

What I realized attending classes after coming back to the past was that my knowledge of subjects was practically zero. I had no clue about math, and the other subjects were also at a difficulty level I couldn’t keep up with.

So whenever I faced unknown questions, I often asked Yua.

‘Maybe I should build up some basics?’

I thought it might be good to at least have the minimum middle school knowledge.

‘Hmm, at least to go to a high school nearby.’

In my previous life, the school was about 7 km away, and I walked there every day for three years. It took about an hour and a half, sometimes walking through rain or snow.

The reason was simple.

I was trying to save on transportation costs.

So every day I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and left home by 6.

I’d arrive around 7:30 to 7:45.

I already felt like I didn’t have enough time to write, so if I walked like that again—

‘I won’t walk this time but take the bus or taxi. Still, being close is best.’

My mind changed.

“So, you want us to go to the academy together?”

The reason Yua kept asking me like that was one: she wanted to go together.

It was over a kilometer walk from home to the academy.

After classes, it would be late evening, and she was scared of walking home alone.

Luckily, her house was right next to mine, making her the ideal friend for this.

“Yeah. Let’s go together.”

As expected, Yua’s eyes sparkled.

I couldn’t believe this kind of relationship had formed with her.

Regardless of age, I was reminded how my relationships changed depending on how I acted.

“Alright, got it. Let’s go together.”

I calculated that if I cut a little sleep, writing wouldn’t be a problem.

That’s how my academy life was decided.

Evening fell, and after my younger sibling had gone to sleep, Dad quietly came out and called Mom.

The three of us sat together in the master bedroom for a small family meeting.

Although I was still a middle schooler, as the eldest son, I participated confidently.

“Son, what do you think about moving to the fourth floor?”

Dad spoke cautiously.

It wasn’t an unfamiliar proposal, but I sensed the worries behind it.

‘Is it already time to move up to the fourth floor?!’

We had moved up from the third floor to the owner’s unit around middle school.

It had been so long that memories were hazy but were now beginning to resurface.

“They’re renting it out cheap. It has three rooms. Since Dahye needs her own room too, what do you think?”

What I said carried more weight than expected in our family.

If this were before my regression as a middle schooler, maybe not, but now my parents listened carefully.

Dad asked my opinion on moving to the fourth floor, so I recalled what the fourth floor was like.

“I’m against moving to the fourth floor.”

The fourth floor where I had lived in my past life was the worst.

It looked clean on the outside but was full of problems.

Dahye’s room had no heating, and downstairs water leaks caused multiple repairs that tore up my room repeatedly.

Because of that, I had to sleep surrounded by the smell of cement, which caused significant stress.

That wasn’t all.

I was also haunted by ghosts there.

I often had sleep paralysis and nightmares, memories still vivid.

The damp air in the room and mysterious sounds from the walls occasionally.

That place wasn’t just an uncomfortable living space; it was emotionally unhealthy.

Come to think of it, many bad things happened to us while living there.

That was even when Dad got scammed and the company went bankrupt.

“Why? Your room would be bigger and better.”

Dad asked, puzzled.

“I used to come and go to the fourth floor often. I saw it, and it wasn’t good.

The small room had no heating, so winters were unbearably cold and summers unbearably hot.

Also, water often leaked into my room and the living room.

I heard it was due to problems with the small room.

If we move into a place like that, we’ll be troubled by construction every day.

Though there’s a room for Dahye, it’s so cold she wouldn’t even sleep there, and she’d have to sleep in the master bedroom.”

I never wanted to give Dahye a room like that again.

“You want to make a room for Dahye, right?

If you really want to do that, let’s move out of this building altogether.”

The land itself wasn’t good.

Mom, Dad, and I all had accidents here.

I didn’t want to stay any longer.

“But there’s nowhere to go.”

Dad’s voice was tinged with bitterness.

Though his salary had increased, we didn’t have much saved up, making moving a burden.

Caught between monthly rent, deposit, and buying a house, he was stuck.

The weight of this reality was etched deeply in Dad’s furrowed brow.

I understood perfectly.

A parent’s heart, a human heart, is always the same.

I thought of how parents want to raise their children in the best environment possible.

“Then, let’s do this.”

After a moment’s thought, I spoke.

I decided to reveal the plan I’d kept stored in my mind.

“I’m making money now.

I’ve saved some.”

My savings exceeded a thousand.

They would grow even more.

“I’ll add my money and move to a better place.”

This fall, I had stocks to invest in, ones that were expected to soar significantly.

Sarum Technology and Lead Corp.

Investing in those two would guarantee substantial profits.

But I wouldn’t talk about the investment now.

I’d suggest investing together with my parents later.

“So, don’t worry about money.

Take out as much loan as you can to move.

I’ll support you if there’s a shortage.”

Adding the deposit on our current house to my savings and loans, we could live in a bigger and better environment.

Originally, I wanted to save more and minimize loans to get a good house, but it was going to be hard to hold out that long.

“Will that be alright?”

Dad’s question carried an apology.

“It’s fine.

What wouldn’t be fine?

It’s for our family.”

Family comes before money.

I decided not to think about the money shortage.

“I’m sorry I can’t help more as a parent.

Instead, you’re helping us.”

Dad couldn’t even look up properly.

Mom wore a guilty expression too.

“If you’re really sorry, Mom, please make lots of delicious food.

And Dad, please take care of your back.

That would be enough for me.”

My friends had succeeded and were living abundant lives, but Dad was always shrinking away, unable to live that way.

Now I wanted to help Dad stand tall again.

“Alright. I understand.”

“Thank you, my son.”

They were both such emotional people.

Looking at their faces, I quietly smiled.

I hoped from now on, both of them could live happily without any worries.

‘There used to be a pretty decent house.

I should go see it sometime.’

Though I didn’t say it out loud, I remembered a house with a yard.

It had an open layout and great sunlight.

I recalled how sunlight poured all the way to the floor when you opened the living room window.

After class, I’d drop by and recommend it to my parents.